Remarks by
The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
OPENING CEREMONIES, MORDEN CORN AND APPLE FESTIVAL
Mainstage, Stephen Street
Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
(please check against delivery)
Fellow Manitobans and fellow lovers of summer, community and festivals – it’s a pleasure to join you once again for the largest street festival in our province.
As Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, I acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory and that Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe, Anishininew (ANISH-IN-INEW), Cree, Dakota, Dene and Nehetho (NE-HET-HO) Nation; that Manitoba is located on the homeland of the Red River Métis; and that northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit.
As Manitobans, we respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration.
Since 1967, the Morden Corn and Apple Festival has been bringing together the people of Morden, the Pembina Valley region and, increasingly, all of Manitoba for one of the final big celebrations of summer.
The story of this festival’s growth – like that of the community that hosts it – is one of volunteers identifying a need, visualizing what can be done and then doing the hard work of making that a reality.
Morden and its neighbouring communities have become magnets of economic development and innovation because people in this region saw no reason this shouldn’t be a prosperous area with opportunities for all.
And at the same time, they saw no reason Morden shouldn’t have a great two-day summer celebration of music and games, arts and crafts, laughter and fellowship, corn and apples and of course, this being Morden, farmer’s sausage.
With 80,000 people enjoying this festival over two days, there’s something about it for everybody to love.
And one of the most wonderful things is that so much of the fun this weekend is free for everybody.
There’s no more accessible community gathering than the Morden Corn and Apple Festival.
What a way to build community spirit – bringing all ages together on a beautiful summer weekend to enjoy the sights and sounds of one of Manitoba’s prettiest communities. And making sure that that experience is available to all.
Thank you to all the volunteers, staff, sponsors, performers and exhibitors who make this festival possible.
Enjoy a great weekend in great company.
Thank you. Meegwich. Merci. Shalom
